This invention relates generally to firearms apparatus, and particularly it pertains to a device for use in preventing a singly fired shell, or the second shell of each pair when shooting doubles, from being completely ejected from a semi-automatic gun. The device permits manual removal of the expended shell from the receiver of the gun, and it also permits reloading of the gun without removal of the catcher from the receiver of the gun.
Many trap, skeet, and other target shooting facilities have rules prohibiting shooters from retrieving shells fired from a gun from the ground. A large number of target shooters desire to retain their empty shells for subsequent reloading and reuse. However, a high percentage of these shooters employ semi-automatic guns, which eject all fired shells onto the ground.
Although these empty shells may sometimes be purchased from the shooting facility for a fee, they are in short supply, many of those actually so purchased are encrusted with dirt and grime, may require extensive cleaning and reconditioning before reuse, or may be damaged beyond repair. For these reasons, and a few others, such as speeding up the shooting procedure, safety, loss of expended shells in the grass or snow, the inconvenience of having to bend down to pick-up the empty shells, a device, such as the present invention has many desirable advantages.
Other shell catchers or restrainers presently available have certain disadvantages. The conventional fork-type and keeper rod type shell catchers are designed to attach to the bolt of the gun, and extend along the side of the receiver of the gun beside and in a spaced relationship to the ejection port opening. Catchers of this conventional type move rapidly and deliberately with the movement of the bolt, and in use are potentially dangerous to the hand of the shooter which holds the forward end of the gun on firing, or the hand of the shooter which holds the stock on recoil. In addition, both catchers must be removed prior to firing doubles, which means that all shells fired from the gun are then ejected onto the ground.
Another type shell catcher presently in use is the wire or spring-wire type, which can be installed on a semi-automatic gun by drilling two holes into the receiver at the top of the ejection port, and inserting a short length of suitably shaped stiff wire into the drilled holes. This catcher usually requires a gunsmith or other skilled persons to drill the holes and to fit a spring wire to the gun, which is easy to remove from the gun, but is often difficult to reinstall, and will not permit the firing of doubles when installed.
Still another type catcher consists of a suitable shaped wire which partially encircles the receiver of the gun as installed. This catcher has the possible disadvantage of shooter distraction or interference with the line of sight or sighting picture of the gun, inability to reliably remain in an operative position on the gun, potential damage to the receiver of the gun, and must be removed before doubles can be fired.
Another type also may require gun modification and may interfere with the line of sight or sighting picture of the gun during use, and also must be removed before doubles can be fired. Another shell catcher presently available overcomes many of the previously cited disadvantages of other shell catchers, but it is potentially dangerous in that a sharp lip on its lower extremity protrudes into the opening where shells are placed in the magazine, in close proximity to the carrier release or action release mechanism, where the fingers of the shooter may be cut when closing the action as is necessary each time the gun is readied for firing, and, it too, like all the other catchers described herein, must be removed from the gun before firing doubles.
In order for the skeet shooter to employ any of the shell catchers so far described, he must alternatively install the catcher to shoot singles, then remove it when shooting doubles. This procedure is distracting, cumbersome, and requires fumbling in pockets for the catcher prior to its installation for firing singles.